Sunday, January 29, 2017

Sitting in the woods, I began to realize that while I may indeed be lost, that at least I've learned how to take some precautionary measures over the years. Strangely enough, this is not due to how many times I've gotten lost over the years, but from of all the times that I've recognized the potential for becoming lost.

There are many levels to what people call survival these days. But for the purposes used here on The Disabled Hiker, I like to label them the... "what if I got lost, survivalists."

So no, we're not looking to live in the woods for weeks on end with nothing but a toothbrush and a loincloth. We are just trying to survive long enough that we can either be rescued... or find our way out of a sticky situation ourselves.

So making a leave at home Safety Map is a great place to start.

Besides showing the possible search location for rescue party's, adding details and making your own maps can help show rescuers details they might not see on available maps of the area. Springs, caves, campsites, and other small details are rarely if ever on available maps. So these details are a godsend to search & rescue personnel.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ While some have been bold enough to refer to me as some kind of survival expert, I am continually reassuring them that they are vastly mistaken. Terms like survival expert tend to scare those who truly understand what those words imply. So if anyone has me on some list of survival experts somewhere, I'd be the first one to scratch my name from that list.

I was once given an interesting piece of wisdom that was formed into a kind of joke I keep very close by when thinking about survival.

Q; What do you call a dead survival expert? ... A: an EX-survival expert.

I know... not very funny is it. But I don't think it's supposed to be either.

Although I'm sure there are those who use the term strictly for descriptive purposes, forgive me for saying it, but it's hard to turn over a proverbial rock these days without finding a survival expert under it.

The term survival expert itself seems to fly in the face of something far too fragile to be depended on with any amount of certainty, even if you are an "expert". But it's a well-known fact that often survival has absolutely nothing to do with equipment or knowledge but simply the will to keep going, to keep simply making that next step for survival and little more. And yes... even if those things you do fail completely.

I like to think that the student of survival has a chance because they never stop learning long enough to die from giving up. In fact, I'd much rather be known as a student than an expert in anything. The word expert implies that you know everything and therefore have a responsibility to always be right.

But that's not how life works, does it? And me, well... I always feel there is always far more to learn than has been learned.

Therefore, although I've offered a lot of ideas on survival equipment in part 3 of "Lost in the Woods", my intention was more to demonstrated a thought process far beyond the actual equipment itself. To demonstrate the creative nature that resides in all of us that not only has us thinking outside of the box, but then turning that box into something useful too.

Hope you enjoy part 3 ofLost in the Woods.

Note:Sorry everyone. Due to my continuing health problems and further complicated by computer software issues that have slowed my usual process, Episode five will be coming out a bit later and
released at a slower rate of speed than usual. I want to thank all of
you for your patience, kindness, and understanding concerning this delay
and will be doing my best to get things out as quickly as possible.

Thank you all so much for watching.

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Be well ... and Happy Hiking!

Produced by:Terry Craig,

The Disabled Hiker

Assistant editor: Dave Deubler

Photos & video by: Larry Deitch,

& Terry Craig,

Featuring music by:Mad Mme. Em&T.Craig

Disclaimer:
This blog, written articles, video presentations, and all content
within are not intended to take the place of professional medical
advice. Please consult your Doctor before making any changes to your
treatment plan and/or changes to your exercise routine.

So when a good friend, Diane Olans, sent me a packet of Trader Joe's Pour Over Coffee, it went right in the bag.

When hiking or backpacking there are definitely items that you find yourself packing that you can only define as "comfort gear". That is, those items that you could surely live without, but choose not to due to their ability to make life all the more pleasant, even in the most uncomfortable of situations.

But coffee has a few surprises up its sleeves to. Besides having the ability to warm you from the inside out and combating hypothermia, coffee can be useful when treating minor headaches and even migraines, used as a first aid measure for asthma attacks, and as a very effective emergency clotting agent for open and bleeding wounds. Oddly enough, people who have used it as a clotting agent also note that it has some pain relieving abilities as well.So I guess you could say, coffee has a lot more uses than meets the eye, nose, or mouth.

Disclaimer:
This blog, written articles, video presentations, and all content
within are not intended to take the place of professional medical
advice. Please consult your Doctor before making any changes to your
treatment plan and/or changes to your exercise routine.

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About The Disabled Hiker

My name is Terry Craig, a.k.a. THE DISABLED HIKER. I am a blogger, product reviewer, and guerrilla filmmaker living with disability who has spent over two decades teaching myself, and now others living with disability how to continue enjoying the hiking, backpacking, and camping, through innovation, adaptation, and a sense of understanding the wilderness.

The Disabled Hiker is a source of hiking gear reviews, DIY videos, and articles on safe backpacking and camping techniques while promoting nature as part of the healing process.

The Disabled Hiker reaches out to not only the adaptive hiking/backpacking community but also those recovering from injury, their caregivers and family members, as well as the many kind and understanding hearts who support and hike with those living with the extra challenges we face.